Hospital's new Discharge Planner has big shoes to fill

Upon meeting Frances Cole-Boyd, MSW, one of the first things she mentioned is the fact that she has some pretty big shoes to fill replacing Wilma Storne as Discharge Planner.

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Gridley Herald - Gridley, CA

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Posted Jan. 2, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Posted Jan. 2, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Upon meeting Frances Cole-Boyd, MSW, one of the first things she mentioned is the fact that she has some pretty big shoes to fill replacing Wilma Storne as Discharge Planner.

Storne retired last month and Cole-Boyd has only been on board two weeks but in that time could easily see that Storne made quite an impact at Biggs-Gridley Memorial Hospital.

“I hope I can do her justice,” she stated.

Cole-Boyd will not only help with the discharging of patients but she will also be spending time with residents of Hovlid Skilled Nursing and patients in the hospital to make sure that all of their needs are being met.

Growing up in Willows, Cole-Boyd lives there with her husband of 25 years, BJ, who is an art teacher at Willows High School. They have two sons, Brandon Boyd who is 22 and Nathan Boyd who is 18.

Cole-Boyd did her undergraduate work at the University of Pacific in Business and graduated in May from California State University Chico in the Masters in Social Work (MSW) program, within two weeks of Nathan graduating from high school.

Cole-Boyd enjoys the gorgeous commute she makes each day through the farmland and stated there are plenty of similarities between Gridley and Willows, which are close in population.

Understanding small towns, she has seen many positive aspects of Gridley and the hospital already.

“The people here have been very welcoming,” she stated.

When she applied for the job at BGMH she was in a long-term substituting job in Willows and she credits the hospital for letting her finish that contract for an ill teacher.

“They were just very accommodating and I appreciate that,” she stated.

Her third grade substituting job ended on a Friday last month and she began work at BGMH the following Monday.

Her first internship was accomplished at Enloe Medical Center and her second one was at Passages Care Program. Both internships fit well with the work she is now doing, advocating for the patients.

In her spare time Cole-Boyd enjoys traveling and reading. When her boys were in school, much of her time was spent with their sports and other activities but she said she is not suffering from the “empty nest” syndrome.

She was involved in the Adult Literacy Program in Willows and enjoyed that work.

At the Hovlid Skilled Nursing, she will see each resident within five days of their arrival and will chart each resident weekly to keep up on their care.

It will be a time for her to get to know the 18-20 residents making sure they get the care they deserve and make sure the hospital provides the level of care they want to be at.

Page 2 of 2 - Cole-Boyd is a Hospice volunteer and really enjoys that line of work also.

“It's an honor to help them,” she stated.

“This job was meant to be. It was great timing for me and I already know I am going to really like it here. I already do,” she stated.